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nuvancehealth.org
news
https://www.nuvancehealth.org/health-tips-and-news/how-clutter-affects-your-b…
Researchers have found being surrounded by disorganization really does impair your ability to concentrate. It’s as if your brain has too many browser tabs open — everything slows down and your focus keeps drifting.
If you’ve ever tried to work on an important project at home but kept getting distracted by the clutter around you, like “I should really file those papers …” or “I need to put away those toys …” you’ve experienced this effect firsthand. [...] When your surroundings are messy, your brain is constantly saying, “Look at this! And this! And don’t forget that!” — even if you’re not consciously paying attention to all of it. Over time, this constant sensory overload can increase mental fatigue. You might feel mentally fuzzy or irritable in a messy room, which is your brain’s way of signaling it’s overworked by the disorganization.
Related content: Tennis for brain health? The neuroscience of precision, strategy and flow [...] Related content: How inflammation in the body affects your health
Clutter-induced stress can often become a difficult cycle to break. Disorganization can cause anxiety because you feel pressured by the constant visual reminder of things left undone or disorganized. This in turn makes it harder to muster the energy and focus to clean up the clutter.
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verywellmind.com
article
https://www.verywellmind.com/decluttering-our-house-to-cleanse-our-minds-5101511
You might tell yourself, I'll declutter eventually. But time keeps passing, and your home, office, or car is still filled to the brim with stuff. If any of this resonates with you, you're not alone. But many people don't realize the connection between clutter and mental health.
Accumulating a few extra possessions may not seem like a big deal, but clutter can negatively impact your mental health. It can increase stress levels, make it hard to focus, strain relationships, and more. [...] Verywell / Laura Porter
### Key Takeaways
Clutter can significantly impact mental health by increasing stress and making it difficult to relax. While some may find a cluttered environment creatively inspiring, for others, excess items contribute to feelings of being overwhelmed and unfocused. By recognizing these effects, it becomes possible to manage clutter and improve overall well-being.
## What Is the Impact of Clutter on Mental Health? [...] It's not uncommon for spouses, partners, or even roommates to argue over whether one person's things are taking up too much space. There might be added strain in a relationship if your clutter is an annoyance to the person you're living with.
In addition, if you're not inviting friends over because your home is cluttered, you might feel a sense of social isolation or shame. This might increase your risk of loneliness, which can take a serious toll on both physical and mental health.
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webmd.com
article
https://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/slideshow-clutter-affects-health
It's hard to focus on important tasks when several things compete for your attention. Researchers have found that being around disorganization makes it harder for your brain to focus. It can be especially tough for people with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). If you have ADHD, a professional organizer or coach may be the best way to restore some order to your space.
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## Pass the Tissues [...] ## Too Much Stuff
If your closets are bursting or your desk is topped with piles of disorganized papers, you may want to take some steps toward a neater home or workspace. While a bit of chaos might have some upsides -- at least one study suggests that a messy room spurs creativity -- it has many more downsides. It can even be damaging for your physical and mental health.
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## Mess Equals Stress [...] A neat, tidy house feels inviting, both for the people who live there as well as guests. A cluttered home may feel the opposite. But shutting people out can take a toll on relationships and make you feel sad and lonely. That could be one reason a hoarding disorder tends to overlap with depression and anxiety disorders.
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## Slips and Falls
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calm.com
article
https://www.calm.com/blog/clutter-mental-health
Jan 8, 2025 — Impact of clutter on mental health · Increased stress and anxiety: · Reduced focus and productivity: · Impact on self-esteem and mood: · Possible ...Read more
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stilwellmemorial.com
article
https://stilwellmemorial.com/healthy-living/the-impact-of-clutter-on-physical…
Increased cortisol levels, especially in women. Cortisol is a hormone associated with chronic stress.
Feeling less satisfaction with life overall.
Inability to focus, which is especially significant if you have ADHD.
Being embarrassed by the clutter, causing you to feel an increased sense of isolation and fear, especially of inviting anyone over. This is one way hoarding contributes to depression and anxiety.
Sensory overload, triggered by a messy space, which may result in memory issues. [...] Our emotions and mental health can be impacted by clutter in various ways, including: [...] types of biopsies
Life can get busy, and we all find ourselves feeling a bit disorganized sometimes. Over half of Americans find themselves stressed out by untidy spaces in their homes. The stress that clutter causes can be handled with a quick cleanup, usually. But if clutter is left unchecked, it can have a detrimental effect on our emotional health as well as our physical health.
## How Clutter Affects Our Physical Health
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rmcad.edu
research
https://www.rmcad.edu/blog/psychology-of-clutter-designing-organized-and-stre…
Clutter isn’t just a physical problem; it’s also a psychological one. The spaces we keep often mirror the state of our minds, and disorganization can fuel stress, distraction and fatigue. Home organization strategies designed to help people streamline their lives with organized interiors supported by functional and aesthetic design can be used to nurture calm, focus and emotional balance. As designers better understand the connection between mental well-being and our environments, spaces [...] ## Understanding Clutter Psychology
Designers who understand the connection between clutter and mental health also understand the importance of designing functional spaces that smartly and comfortably accommodate the stuff of everyday life.
### How Clutter Impacts Cognition, Mood and Stress
Clutter has several impacts on and correlations with cognition, mood, stress and mental health, including: [...] Physical clutter not only fills our spaces but also our minds, leading to mental fatigue, stress, irritability and heightened anxiety.
### Decision Fatigue, Attachment and the Zeigarnik Effect
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www1.racgp.org.au
news
https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/what-does-clutter-do-to-your-brain-…
Bursting cupboards and piles of paper stacked around the house may seem harmless enough. But research shows disorganisation and clutter have a cumulative effect on our brains.
Our brains like order, and constant visual reminders of disorganisation drain our cognitive resources, reducing our ability to focus.
The visual distraction of clutter increases cognitive overload and can reduce our working memory. [...] Advertising
Libby
Sander
# What does clutter do to your brain and body?
Libby Sander
An expert in organisational behaviour examines the effects disorganisation.
Disorganisation and clutter have a cumulative effect on our brains, which like order. [...] Clutter can make us feel stressed, anxious and depressed. Research from the United States in 2009, for instance, found the levels of the stress hormone cortisol were higher in mothers whose home environment was cluttered.
A chronically cluttered home environment can lead to a constant low-grade fight or flight response, taxing our resources designed for survival.
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apa.org
news
https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/clutter
years, psychologist research has begun to find that living and working in cluttered spaces causes stress and anxiety and can harm both our mental health and our productivity. [...] My guest today is Dr. Joseph Ferrari, a professor of psychology and distinguished professor at DePaul University in Chicago. Dr. Ferrari studies the psychology of clutter, including why we accumulate it, how it affects our mental health, and the link between clutter and procrastination. He’s also well known for his research on the causes and consequences of procrastination, and is the author of several books on that subject for researchers, clinicians, and the general public. He has published [...] Deacon Joseph Ferrari, PhD, is a professor of psychology and Saint Vincent DePaul Distinguished Professor at DePaul University in Chicago. He is a leading expert on the study of chronic procrastination and, more recently, of clutter. Ferrari studies the psychology of clutter, including why we accumulate it, how it affects our mental health, and the link between clutter and procrastination. He has published more than 400 scholarly articles and 35 books and book chapters, and is a fellow in six